Critically acclaimed television series The Wire has become the subject of a new class at the Johns Hopkins University.

The college, based in Baltimore where the majority of the series is set, introduced the new class this term and also invited a number of guest speakers to lecture on the programme, including the show's creator David Simon.

According to Yahoo News, the class uses the series to illustrate the myriad of issues faced by big cities in the US, including drug use and crime.

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Last year, the University of York added a module to its sociology degree exclusively studying The Wire as a means to look at the political system in a new and exciting way.

The Wire aired across five seasons on US network HBO from 2002 to 2008.